Still Independent after all these years
By Brandy Nance (Contact)
Originally published 02:50 p.m., June 9, 2008
Updated 02:50 p.m., June 9, 2008
Photo by Jordan Haiduk
Emporia's own Mary G. Kuhlmann turns 100 and celebrates Rosa Spinden and other friends and family at the Emporia Senior Center Saturday, June 7.
Mary G. Kuhlmann may be 100 but she isn’t about to let that slow her down.
Mary G. (Tholen) Kuhlmann was born in Emporia in 1908. She and Charles Tholen were twins. Charles died in 1991. Kuhlmann is the middle child in a family of five children.
At 100, Kuhlmann is as independent as ever. She lives in Emporia in the same house where she grew up — a two-story house which was being built when she and her twin brother were born. Kuhlmann still climbs the stairs in her home — the bathroom and the four bedrooms are on the second floor.
Kuhlmann grew up in Emporia, attending elementary school at Emporia Sacred Heart School. She graduated from Emporia High School. In 1930, she graduated from Emporia State University with a major in elementary education. She was a member of the Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority.
Kuhlmann’s first job teaching was in Garden City, where she taught for three years. She met and married Lewis Evans, who was a jeweler and watchmaker. The couple moved to Larned and then to Scotts Bluff, Neb., followed by a move to Gearing, where they purchased a jewelry store. After Lewis’ death of a heart attack, Mary ran the store by herself for a couple of years. She returned to Emporia to care for her father. Her son Danny was 16 at the time and she had two daughters, according to a 1999 newsletter by the Emporia Senior Center.
Photo by Jordan Haiduk
Mary G. Kuhlmann waits for her candles to be lit during her 100th birthday party at the Emporia Senior Center Saturday, June 7.
In 1971, Mary married A.J. “Fritz” Kuhlmann. Kuhlmann owned a stationery store, which later sold to Carl and Theresa Didde. He died in 1978.
Kuhlmann said she still feels young.
“I don’t know how I ever made it to 100,” she said.
And if you ask her if she feels like she’s 100, you’ll get this response:
“I don’t feel any different than I did 10 years ago,” she said with a laugh.
And she certainty doesn’t act any different. She sprints up her stairs with no problem giving a tour of her home. Each morning she does her exercises and gets additional exercise climbing the stairs.
“My legs are strong,” she said, of walking the stairs often.
Kuhlmann is a regular at the Emporia Senior Center, where she plays bridge twice a week and eats lunch. She walks to the end of her block to meet the L-Cat.
“We’re just lucky that center is beautiful,” she said. “I gave up all my other bridge clubs to be at that center.”
Photo by Jordan Haiduk
Mary G. Kuhlmann celebrates her 100th birthday with her children Bob Evans (left),Dan Evans and Ruthie Evans at the Emporia Senior Center Saturday, June 7.
Kuhlmann said she’s had a great life.
She spent Saturday celebrating her birthday with family and friends at the Emporia Senior Center. Thursday she sat at home surrounded by dozens of birthday cards from family and friends.
“I have a lovely family,” she said. “I’ve never been hurting.”
Kuhlmann has five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
Comments
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on June 9, 2008 at 9:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wonderful story; wonderful lady.
Post a comment
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. Our goal with this feature is to encourage thoughtful discussions about the news stories. Using the comment feature to make random attacks on people is not acceptable. Emporiagazette.com neither endorses nor guarantees the accuracy of any user contribution. Responsibility for what is posted or contributed to this site is the sole responsibility of each user. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
(Requires free registration.)